Sapporo 2024

40th Asian Racing Conference

The 40th ARC, Sapporo 2024

PRESS ROOM
The 40th ARC, Sapporo 2024

Conference Information

Date
August 27 - September 1, 2024
Venue
Sapporo Convention Centre
Sessions and Events
9
Sessions
Participants
800+
Participants
Regions and Jurisdictions
40
Regions and Jurisdictions Represented
Speakers
50+
Speakers
Social Channels
Swipe Left and Right

Sessions

Click each session for video playbacks and presentations.

Session 1

Racing: State of Play

August 28, 2024

Speakers

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges

Chair, Asian Racing Federation

CEO, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Masayuki Goto

Vice-Chair, Asian Racing Federation

Executive Advisor, Japan Racing Association

Suzanne Eade

CEO, Horse Racing Ireland

Drew Fleming

President and CEO, Breeders’ Cup

Aaron Morrison

Chief Executive Officer, Racing Victoria

Joe Saumarez Smith

Chair, British Horseracing Authority

Peter V’landys

CEO, Racing NSW

Panel Discussion

Straight from the Saddle

August 28, 2024

Speakers

Christophe Patrice Lemaire

JRA Jockey

Yutaka Take

JRA Jockey

Session 2

Fans: Give Them What They Want

August 28, 2024

Speakers

Andrew Harding

Secretary General, Asian Racing Federation

Executive Director, Racing, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Clare Vigers

Client Services Director, Two Circles

Fumitaka Tsuruoka

Senior Technical Advisor, Management Planning Division, Japan Racing Association

Dennis Hau

Executive Director, Customer Strategy, Insights and Innovation, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Peter V’landys

CEO, Racing NSW

Session 3

Pop Culture: Bringing Racing's Stories to The Fore

August 28, 2024

Speakers

Janine Hosking

Director and Producer, A Horse Named Winx

Toshihiko Nishiyama

General Manager, Business Consulting Division, Mitsubishi Research Institute

Nathan Horrocks

Co-Founder, JockeyCam and Equine Productions

Session 4

Betting: How Innovation is Changing The Future

August 29, 2024

Speakers

Jason Scott

CEO, Racing Queensland

Michael Fitzsimons

Executive Director, Wagering Products, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Nick Smith LVO

Director of Racing and Public Affairs, Ascot Racecourse, UK

Lachlan Fitt

Chief Financial Officer and Deputy CEO, Entain Australia and New Zealand

Alex Frost

Co-Chair, World Tote Association

Martin Purbrick

Chairperson, ARF Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime

Session 5

Integrity: Tackling New-Age Threats

August 29, 2024

Speakers

Martin Purbrick

Chairperson, ARF Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime

Tom Chignell

Executive Manager, Racing Integrity & Betting Analysis, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Cliodhna Guy

Head of Licensing, Legal & Compliance (Legal Counsel), The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board

Ronan O'Laoire

Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice Officer, Programme on Safeguarding Sport from Corruption and Crime, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

James Porteous

Research Head, ARF Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime

Senior Manager, Due Diligence and Research, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Natasha Hamilton

Director, Racing Australia Equine Genetics Research Centre

Panel Discussion

Land of the Rising Sun

August 29, 2024

Speakers

Kenichiro Mishima

Breeder, Mishima Stable

Yoshito Yahagi

JRA Trainer

Session 6

Developments: Big Changes Across The ARF Footprint

August 29, 2024

Speakers

Vee Moodley

Chief Executive, The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa

Makoto Yoshida

Executive Vice President, National Association of Racing

H.E. Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi

Vice-Chair, Asian Racing Federation

General Manager and Board Member, Emirates Racing Authority

Tom Ryan

Director of Strategy, Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia

Bruce Sharrock

CEO, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing

Adrian Todd

Managing Director, South Africa Equine Health & Protocols NPC

Gregory Bortz

Chairman, Cape Racing

Session 7

Horses: Enhancing Equine Safety & Industry Sustainability

August 30, 2024

Speakers

Bob Langert

Corporate Sustainability Expert

Vicky Leonard

Founder, Kick Collective

Jamie Stier

Executive General Manager – Integrity Services, Racing Victoria

Chairman, IFHA Horse Welfare Committee

Session 8

Breeding: Unpacking Future Challenges & Opportunities

August 30, 2024

Speakers

Mutsuki Ishimaru

General Manager, International Department, Japan Racing Association

Hirokazu Okada

President, Big Red Farm

Tetsuya Yoshida

Vice President, Shadai Farm

President, Shadai Race Horse

Shunsuke Yoshida

Vice President, Northern Farm

Sarah Carmichael

CEO, International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation

Ignacio Pavlovsky

President, Haras Carampangue

Antony Thompson

Owner/Director, Widden Stud Australia

Naoya Yoshida

President, Winchester Farm

Session 9

Participants: Achieving Wellbeing and Inclusivity from the Track to the Boardroom

August 30, 2024

Speakers

Kanichiro Fujii

Retired Jockey

Delphine Santiago

Jockey

Fundi Sithebe

CEO, 4Racing Pty Ltd

Press Room

News

The call for more inclusion and diversity in racing

The call for more inclusion and diversity in racing

PDF

The call for more inclusion and diversity in racing

Open in New Window

Leading South African racing operator Ms. Fundi Sithebe has called for more inclusivity and diversity in the sport, encouraging the dismantlement of stereotypes.

News

A life’s work – JRA’s Masayuki Goto tells of enduring commitment to horse racing

A life’s work – JRA’s Masayuki Goto tells of enduring commitment to horse racing

PDF

A life’s work – JRA’s Masayuki Goto tells of enduring commitment to horse racing

Open in New Window

During a keynote speech at the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Sapporo, Japan, Mr. Masayuki Goto, Vice-Chair of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and Executive Advisor of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), identified aspects vital to horse racing’s success – particularly in Japan – and outlined several safeguarding initiatives for the sport.

News

Global views on the thoroughbred breeding industry

Global views on the thoroughbred breeding industry

PDF

Global views on the thoroughbred breeding industry

Open in New Window

A panel of key players in the breeding sector has raised several major issues vital to the sustainability of thoroughbred breeding, including rising costs, staff shortages and the loss of racecourses.

News

Horse welfare is racing’s biggest global challenge

Horse welfare is racing’s biggest global challenge

PDF

Horse welfare is racing’s biggest global challenge

Open in New Window

Leading welfare and integrity expert Mr. Jamie Stier has called for greater collaboration between racing authorities, scientists and researchers to overcome equine welfare concerns, which he describes as “the single biggest challenge facing the global horse racing industry.”

News

Big changes across the ARF footprint

Big changes across the ARF footprint

PDF

Big changes across the ARF footprint

Open in New Window

The growth of racing in the Gulf region was a key feature of a session titled Developments: Big Changes Across The ARF Footprint, on day 2 of the 40th Asian Racing Conference at Sapporo, Japan.

News

Advanced technology an asset and obstacle in combatting illegal wagering, and the new age threat of gene doping

Advanced technology an asset and obstacle in combatting illegal wagering, and the new age threat of gene doping

PDF

Advanced technology an asset and obstacle in combatting illegal wagering, and the new age threat of gene doping

Open in New Window

In a session titled ‘Integrity: Tackling New-Age Threats’ at the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Sapporo, Japan on Thursday (29 August), members of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime outlined threats posed by the illegal wagering market and advancing technology, and delegates learned of the emerging integrity challenge in the form of gene doping.

News

Asian Racing Conference discusses betting trends and breathtaking World Pool benefits

Asian Racing Conference discusses betting trends and breathtaking World Pool benefits

PDF

Asian Racing Conference discusses betting trends and breathtaking World Pool benefits

Open in New Window

Leading wagering experts have lauded the transformative powers of World Pool at the 40th Asian Racing Conference in Sapporo, Japan, but also expressed concerns over regulatory challenges and taxation issues as the sport is buffeted by economic headwinds.

News

Horse racing’s connection with popular culture is explored at the 40th Asian Racing Conference

Horse racing’s connection with popular culture is explored at the 40th Asian Racing Conference

PDF

Horse racing’s connection with popular culture is explored at the 40th Asian Racing Conference

Open in New Window

The integration of horse racing into popular culture through the deeds of equine champions, including Australia’s Winx and Japan’s Equinox, was explored at the 40th Asian Racing Conference on Wednesday, 28 August, at the Sapporo Convention Center in Sapporo.